Micky and Prin had left the station without much hassle. It was almost surreal how fast and easy the process was. Prin wasn’t sure they were done, or that the guards weren’t watching them from somewhere or… Something! This just didn’t happen! This wasn’t right! It must be a trap, or a set up, or something…

Micky was laughing his ass of watching Prin’s world explode. As a village boy from the wrong side of town he knew what she was feeling. There was always that one [Guard] that was a right asshole or they were looking for a bigger bribe than you could afford. But mostly the guards, or should it be said, most of the guards weren’t like that. Just regular people that didn’t want to be there as much or more than you. Sure they gave you a hassle every once in a while, they gave everybody including themselves and each other a hassle every once in a while. It was when they weren’t about to hassle somebody, particularly that pretty girl or handsome gentleman that you knew they were up to something you didn’t want to be a part of.

So they shepherded the girls around as they headed out. The girls were kinda panicked. This wasn’t their first time with guards either. But they were mostly relieved because they knew that once they were left alone, they were left alone. Guards didn’t hassle the orphan kids or set a trap for them after they left, it was one and done. Of course, logically they understood they weren’t the orphan kids anymore, but their conscience was still processing all that over there and there weren’t going to wade into that existential crisis until it finished computing.

Micky looked at the time. The sun was midway up the horizon so they would need to hurry. Of course he wasn’t going to crawl if they couldn’t get ready in time, he wanted the girls to win, not die in a dungeon. So that would mean going to the other blacksmith. There were a couple of smaller blacksmiths that dealt with specialized equipment like farming tools or the gear that the merchants guild might need but there were only two weapon and gereneral blacksmiths that the common man or occasional noble might use. And these two were just referred to as the two blacksmiths. So to save time, Micky headed over to the second one and hoped his smithing instructor would forgive him.

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The other blacksmiths, the raven’s claw, was larger and taller then Micky’s instructor’s was. The claw on the sign was made in shinning metal and oiled to resist the elements, but you could see the rust from the years. If you looked close you could even see the disrepair of the place. The exterior looked nice until you looked at the important things like hinges and nails. This was the exact opposite of his instructor’s place that looked common and simple but everything that should be was as it should be. Micky was usually the one to make sure of that as the newest ‘apprentice’, although in name only.

Looking at this place Micky got a sleazy vibe that he couldn’t place. But it had a boyers and a leather worker’s place attached as well so it was a one stop shop for everything that he would need. His instructor’s had that too but it was more an artisan row, he would have to go to each shop to get what he needed… from his other instructors. Micky started looking around, and then found things in his arms as the girls tossed their stuff into his arms for him to carry. Then they took off while Micky was standing there.

This was a first for Micky so he didn’t know what happened. But the girls had never had free rain like this and he was walking around with a literal Princess, so it was to be expected. Until a shop clerk yelled at them. “What do you think your doing?! Get away from that before you break something!” Yelled the clerk. Micky was almost impressed and felt a little sorry. He hadn’t been the clerk himself since his instructor was trying to actually teach him everything he could, but he knew, understood and felt for the man. “Can you peasants even pay for any of this? Don’t touch that!” Until the man said that. Now Micky was pissed.

“And what would make you say that to my girls, eh?” He said calmly. For anybody that has heard that tone of voice, they would say too calm, way too calm. Of course, people ranting and raving wouldn’t notice, their head so far stuck up their ass… but calm people would, and they would consider running.

“Look, I don’t care if you peasants are here on a day trip to get something nice for your own protection but you shouldn’t be treating the raven’s claw with such disrespect! This is a place that caters to nobles and nobility and they could be here at any moment! And yet you people are wandering around here like you own the place.” Said the clerk.

Micky just raised an eyebrow. First of all, he knew that all the respectable nobles either used his instructor’s place, or had theirs shipped out on special request. Second he had seen the crap that were in the hands of the girls. Prin had a good buy, but it was overpriced. The girls were all over the glitz and glam of those staffs but they were just cheap wood dressed up in shiny metal and pretty stones. They weren’t even comparable to either of his magic staves.

“I think you’re right, this place isn’t what I thought it was. We should be leaving, and don’t look at me like that when that is the crap they are selling.” Said Micky.

“Ah, hold up! I’m sorry, please I do apologize for him! He is usually in charge of keeping out the riffraff that might have sticky fingers and their hands might get stuck on our precious wares! And you! Your fired get in the back and get your stuff!” Said another clerk. This one was an overly large and sweaty man, the typical sleazy merchant.

The other clerk who was of average build, but looked well muscled next to the clerk just took another disgruntled look at the group, looked at his supervisor and walked into the back like he had done this before.

“Ah, I must sincerely apologize for him! He is just a bit overzealous! Now, how can I help you today?” Said the large man with a long suffering smile. Actually, his smile has been attached to his face it is probably no longer suffrage. His smile is probably his default expression as fake as it is, whether he is angry, or sad, or just bored.

“And why should I even bother? We clearly aren’t welcome here.” Said Micky, more stern then explosively calm, but he was still unhappy. He knew that he could get a better… everything from his instructor and was only here because of convenience. So why should he suffer this asshole or his cronie?

“Ahh, I’ll give you a one in ten, no, two in ten discount! And if you bring friends I can even increase that further! I like friends and all the more friends you can bring the more I like!” Said the man.

Micky was still not impressed until he asked that Brightfur put down the staff she was holding. Not because he didn’t want her to buy the staff but he offered her another, better one. Micky was impressed because it was a decent staff. It wasn’t what he would have chose or what he was looking for, but if the girls liked it better than his choice he wouldn’t have argued. But Micky still shook his head. The clerk looked a bit disappointed, the other clerk had cost him a sale and a customer.

Then Micky picked up another staff more suited to magic and casting. Although this staff also looked more like a mace then a staff it was just slightly too big and light to be a mace. The merchant was both glad and sweating bullets. He had seen the gear that these customers were wearing and knew that while they weren’t upper nobles, they weren’t people they should be throwing out like the riffraff. Of course, if it wasn’t busy like this he didn’t mind spending the time to let peasants look and dream. But these people were those, the ‘quiet’ type of buyer that wore mild clothing or better make, even if hand-me-downs it wasn’t something a peasant could afford. He really needed to train his fellow clerks eyes better next time. Luckily it seemed that the other fellow was used to the game of shells he would play when the nobles came around.